Reunion
by Prophetic Fire
Summary: If he thought he would ever actually see his ex-wife again, he never pictured it would be like this, in the middle of the forest, in the middle of Xadia, after everything's fallen apart around him. (Part 1 of the Reunion series)


It's the first time he's seen her in years. She looks how he imagines he looks right now: ragged, tired. Bone-weary and a mess. But it's the raw emotion in her eyes that finally unsticks his voice.

"How did you find me?"

She pulls something over her head and holds it out to him. It's the necklace he gave her when they married. Its once-bright stone is dark and cracked. "You said it would always lead me to you."

"You used a tracking spell?"

"I followed the army."

Despite her appearance, her voice is as smooth and polished as ever.

"I heard so many rumors," she continues. "That Xadia had attacked, that you'd become King of Katolis, that you were following some sort of divine voice or vision. I didn't know what to believe. I had to find out. I made it to Xadia, but there was such chaos, and I didn't know where to begin. So yes, I used a tracking spell."

A small part of him, a part that isn't exhausted and overwhelmed, is impressed. She'd never been against dark magic, but she'd never shown any interest in using it either. For what was presumably her first time, it was no small achievement.

But her next words drop him like a stone.

"Viren, where are the kids?"

Of all the things she could have said to him after all this time, of all the possible ways this conversation could have gone, he's not prepared for the way this one simple question rends him to ribbons. It breaks him open. And the only words he can find are the truth.

"I…messed up."

"You what?"

"I _messed up._ I know I…promised I would look after them, but a lot of things happened, and I… I messed up."

"_Viren_," she says—and it's not anger in her voice, like he was expecting; it's _dread—"where are the kids?"_

It all spills out of him then. Or at least, as much as he's able to explain. How he and Soren had a falling out, how he'd put his trust in Aaravos, how he'd lied to the kids to keep Aaravos' favor, how Claudia had saved him, how she'd become so much stronger than him now, and Aaravos had spirited her away somewhere, and he's been searching and searching for _days_—

"Who's Aaravos?"

The question stops him short.

"I… I…" He sighs. "I don't know. I thought I knew, but I don't know. And he has Claudia, he has my _daughter_—"

He suddenly can't speak for the lump in his throat, can barely see for the tears suddenly stinging his eyes. And immediately he _hates_ it. Hates how his body is betraying him. Hates how he can't control this. Hates how _vulnerable_ he feels and how _small_ and _alone_—

He finds himself sinking into the embrace before he even fully registers it's there.

Her arms are strong, but gentle, as they always had been, and familiar in a way that only breaks him even more. She doesn't shush him, or tell him that it's going to be okay; that was never her way. She just holds him close, her hand a grounding presence at the back of his neck, as he cries.

If he thought he would ever actually see his ex-wife again, he never pictured it would be like this, in the middle of the forest, in the middle of Xadia, after everything's fallen apart around him and left him with nothing but the breath in his lungs, and even that only borrowed.

He never pictured he'd be holding her too.

She pulls back finally, but continues to keep contact, one hand resting lightly on his shoulder. He quickly wipes his face. This close, he can't bring himself to meet her eyes. Thankfully, she doesn't ask him to.

"There's a lot we should probably talk about," she says, "but we don't have time for that. Do you think we can manage to not kill each other long enough to do what we need to do?" Her voice holds no tone of accusation. It's posed as a genuine question.

"Yes," he finally manages, when he can breathe again. "Yes, I think so."

"Okay." She gives his shoulder a small squeeze. Another achingly familiar gesture. In this place of complete uncertainty, he finds his heart is actually grateful to have it. _"Then let's go get our children."_


End file.
